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Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been summoned by Congress to answer questions about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said it is investigating the late financier’s “sex trafficking operations”.

Andrew’s friendship with the paedophile has come under intense scrutiny in recent years and has led to him being stripped of his titles and made to leave his accommodation at Royal Lodge on the Windsor estate.

The memoir of Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s victims, was posthumously published last month and in it she alleged she had sex with Andrew three times while she was a teenager.

Andrew paid a settlement to Ms Giuffre in 2022 and has always denied wrongdoing. He has previously resisted calls to be summoned to the US.

Here is the letter in full:

We write to seek your cooperation in the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s (Committee) investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operations. The Committee is seeking to uncover the identities of Mr. Epstein’s co-conspirators and enablers and to understand the full extent of his criminal operations.

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Well-documented allegations against you, along with your long-standing friendship with Mr. Epstein, indicate that you may possess knowledge of his activities relevant to our investigation. In the interest of justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, we request that you cooperate with the Committee’s investigation by sitting for a transcribed interview with the Committee.

It has been publicly reported that your friendship with Mr. Epstein began in 1999 and that you remained close through and after his 2008 conviction for procuring minors for prostitution.

It has also been reported that you traveled with Mr. Epstein to his New York residence, the Queen’s residence at Balmoral, and to Mr. Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where you have been accused of abusing minors.

This close relationship with Mr. Epstein, coupled with the recently revealed 2011 email exchange in which you wrote to him “we are in this together,” further confirms our suspicion that you may have valuable information about the crimes committed by Mr. Epstein and his co-conspirators.

As you are well aware, Virginia Roberts Giuffre made several allegations that you abused her when she was just 17 years old.

In her 2021 lawsuit, Ms. Giuffre alleged that she was forcibly “lent out” to you for sexual purposes on three separate occasions. In addition to these allegations, flight logs document several instances in which you were a passenger on Mr. Epstein’s plane between 1999 and 2006, while his criminal activities were ongoing.

In response to a subpoena issued to the Epstein estate, the Committee has identified financial records containing notations such as “massage for Andrew” that raise serious questions regarding the nature of your relationship with Mr. Epstein and related financial transactions.

In her posthumous memoir, Ms. Giuffre expressed a fear of retaliation if she made allegations against you, and writes that the settlement agreement you executed with her restricted her to one-year gag order designed to protect the Crown’s reputation.

Recent reporting confirms those fears, as law enforcement authorities in the United Kingdom have launched an investigation into allegations that you asked your personal protection officer to “dig up dirt” for a smear campaign against Ms. Giuffre in 2011.

This fear of retaliation has been a persistent obstacle to many of those who were victimized in their fight for justice. In addition to Mr. Epstein’s crimes, we are investigating any such efforts to silence, intimidate, or threaten victims, and are interested in any avenues that may further shed light on these activities.

Given these recent events and the appalling allegations that have come to light from Ms. Giuffre’s memoir and other reliable sources, the Committee requests that you make yourself available for a transcribed interview with the Committee and provide insight into the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators.

Due to the urgency and gravity of this matter, we ask that you provide a response to the Committee’s interest by November 20, 2025.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee of the House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X. If you have any questions about this request, please contact Committee Democratic staff at (202) 225-5051. Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.

The letter is signed by 16 members of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

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England and Scotland fans discover where their opening World Cup games will be played

England and Scotland fans have found out where their World Cup group games will be played when the tournament kicks off in June.

England, who are in Group L, will begin their tournament against Croatia in Dallas at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 17 June. They will then go on to face Ghana in Boston at 4pm EST (9pm BST) on 23 June and Panama in New Jersey, New York, at 5pm EST (10pm BST) on 27 June.

Scotland are in Group C, and their first match will be against Haiti in Boston at 9pm EST on 13 June (2am GMT the following morning).

They will go up against Morocco also in Boston at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 19 June and then Brazil in Miami at 6pm EST (11pm GMT) on 24 June.

Fans are expected to rush to sort their travel and accommodation plans now that they know where and when the matches take place.

Read more: Unapologetically political – a World Cup draw like no other

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England and Scotland learn World Cup fate

Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to find out if they will qualify.

Wales must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

If they beat these play-off opponents, they will secure their place in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.

However, Northern Ireland will also be vying to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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World Cup 2026 – who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

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World Cup  2026 - who England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will play

Scotland and England now know who they will face in the group stage of the next summer’s world cup.

But the fates of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales won’t be determined until they compete in pre-tournament play-off matches in March.

England are in Group L along with Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Their first match will be against Croatia, who beat them in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

Scotland’s first match will be against Haiti, in Group C.

Brazil and Morocco are the other Group C teams – both countries were also in the same opening group as Scotland in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw
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Trump and Infantino at the World Cup draw

Wales have yet to find out if they will qualify as they must face a play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Cardiff, and then either Italy or Northern Ireland, if they are victorious.

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If they can overcome these play-off opponents then they will secure their place in Group B along with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. But Northern Ireland will also be vying and hoping to guarantee their spot in the same group if they can beat Italy and then either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw

The Republic of Ireland also need to get through the play-offs first and are paired against the Czech Republic for their semi-final. Should Ireland win that match, they will need to beat either North Macedonia or Denmark to get to the finals where an opening group containing joint hosts Mexico, South Africa and South Korea awaits.

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Crafted for one man – this was a World Cup draw like no other

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Crafted for one man - this was a World Cup draw like no other

This was a World Cup draw like no other. Crafted less for the teams but for one man.

The choice of venue. The creation of a new trophy. The closing music act.

Donald Trump was lavished with the adulation he craves by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and feels others unfairly deny him.

Knowing how much being overlooked by the Nobel Committee hurt the US president, there was Mr Infantino with FIFA’s newly-created Peace Prize to hand over. And a medal for Mr Trump to wear.

“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” he said. “And beyond awards, Gianni and I were discussing this. We saved millions and millions of lives.”

This was all on the stage in front of an audience who turned up to find out who they will be playing at the World Cup.

England handed an undaunting route past Croatia, Panama and Ghana. Scotland paired with newcomers Haiti before tricky reunions from their last men’s World Cup in 1998 against Brazil and Morocco.

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Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

But the show before the draw could even begin – presided over by Rio Ferdinand – took almost as long as a football match, at 87 minutes after the noon kick-off was delayed.

There was a walk of self-promotion to complete – “I guess they have to wait” – before taking his seat in the Kennedy Center. Or the Trump Kennedy Center as the president takes to calling the venue picked 1.5 miles from the White House.

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England manager Thomas Tuchel reacts to draw

“It was falling apart,” he said, delaying the walk into the auditorium. “And now it’s, it’s pretty much back.”

Mr Infantino could only watch on, beaming, at his friend.

“We had a dead country,” Mr Trump went on, “and now we have the hottest country anywhere in the world”.

There was the awkwardness of being reminded, before receiving the peace accolade, about threats to launch military strikes on Venezuela to stop the drugs trade.

“I did settle eight wars, and we have a ninth coming,” he swatted away the question. “Which nobody’s ever done before. But I want to really save lives. I don’t need prizes.”

But FIFA knew how much he wanted more gold for the collection with the prize.

More on this story:
What draw means for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters
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Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Pic: Reuters

Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

And for all the mockery and disdain targeted at FIFA, how many sports would relish having the US president spend several hours attending a procedural event determining the placing of teams in groups for a tournament?

How many would dish out the same flattery to secure direct lines to the leader of the nation staging their championship?

Many have benefited from Mr Trump’s stardust and swagger being attached to this spectacle.

Even Port Vale’s most famous fan – Robbie Williams – secured a walk-on role, exceeding his profile this side of the Pond.

And the Village People are reaping the rewards of becoming the unlikeliest of Trump hype acts.

The festivities ended with eyes fixed back up to the presidential seating and the YMCA dance being performed.

This was an afternoon that dispelled any pretence that FIFA keeps a distance from politics. It was unapologetically political. But few speak out in the FIFA world as the redistributed wealth keeps rolling back in their direction.

It would be easy to forget this isn’t entirely America’s World Cup. They’re sharing hosting with Canada and Mexico.

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‘Bring it on!’: Scotland fans react to World Cup draw

And eventually the spotlight was ceded to their leaders – very briefly – as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney drew out their countries’ names.

But it did live up to FIFA’s mantra that football can unite the world.

The neighbours were brought together here on a snowy day in Washington. And tensions – often stoked by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico – thawed in the name of football.

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